I Am Queen
by evancastillo
Summary: In a Clan where she-cats are the superior beings, Robinpaw is miserable. She wants to fight, to hunt, to work, but she is refused. So when a certain tom shatters her young heart... how far is she willing to go for revenge? Rated M for occasional profanity, gore, and violence
1. Prologue

**Hm... I actually based this fic off the real world, how unfair girls are treated, like they can't do anything without a guy. I thought it was really strange, and I thought it would make a good fanfic so here I am. Welcome to my first OC based Fanfiction, I really hope you enjoy!**

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All was quiet in the WildClan camp, the moon lay light over the clearing like a silver blanket, bathing the dens in starlight. A single owl hooted not far off, but every kit was tucked safe in their nest. A guard was stationed outside the camp walls, his tail twitching ever so slightly, the only sign that he was awake.

"Ravenwood!"

A shriek sliced through the serene night, arousing a black tom from his slumber. His ears swiveled back as he listened for the queen's cries of help, climbing to his paws and quickly gathering the supplies he needed. The tom's mouth moved as he listed off the herbs he needed, though no sound was audible. Any experienced cat could clearly make out the words. _Borage, raspberry leaves, parsley.. just in case_

Suddenly a dark shadow fell over the medicine cat, its amber eyes flaring with a cold anger. "Why are you not hurrying? We have a queen in pain!"

"Sorry, Lionstar. I am ready now," The dark pelted cat mewed, flinching at the leader's tone of voice. He slipped out the medicine den with his bundle of herbs, leaving no trace that he was ever there.

"Good," The large golden-brown tom mewed, padding outside the den to survey the camp. There he spotted a pale gray tom resting by the nursery, his head draped over his paws. "Why are you not tending to your mate?" He demanded, baring his teeth. She-cats weren't supposed to suffer- they didn't deserve it.

The pale gray tom looked up at the larger golden one, unaffected by the leader's hostile exterior. "Acornleaf has asked me to leave. And while I do love her very much, there is no reason for me to stay and worry her, is there now?" He mewed, matching the leader's fierce amber gaze evenly. He was testing him.

The lithe black medicine cat popped his head out of the nursery, his eyes shining. "Acornleaf has kitted! It was very quick, and she suffered little. She has asked to see you now, Smokewisp," He flicked his tail happily and padded over to the two talking toms. "There are two healthy she-kits and a tom! Congratulations!"

The pale gray tom stood up and stretched, his fluffy gray tail flicking. "Now, if you will excuse me, Lionstar, I have my new family to meet," He twitched an ear and padded away, slipping into the nursery.

"That was a quick birth," The golden-brown tom mewed to the smaller black one, studying his large paws.

"Acornleaf is strong," The medicine cat replied simply, twitching his whiskers. Suddenly a robin's wing obscured the moonlight, casting a dark shadow on the cats below. The dark tom looked up at the moon, his green eyes clouded as if he were far away. The golden brown leader waited, asking a silent question. "It was a sign from StarClan."

The leader waited.

The medicine cat shifted his paws, clearly debating whether or not to share their ancestor's words. "Beware the feathered claws, for they will be your undoing." He mewed at last, glancing at the golden-brown tom nervously. The leader was too proud to admit that he could, in fact, be beaten.

To this the golden-brown feline let out a rough purr, his whiskers twitching with amusement. "No tom can best me, I am the most powerful in the Clan and the territory beyond, there is no tom stronger."

The lithe medicine cat narrowed his leaf green eyes, clearly annoyed by the leader's arrogance. "StarClan is never wrong, Lionstar."

"That may be, but no male warrior nor bird can beat me in a battle, either by pure force or intelligence. I will live a long and healthy life as leader, just you wait."

"But Lionstar," The little cat protested, his tail flicking nervously. "What if this warrior is in fact a _she_?"

At the medicine cat's words the WildClan leader let out a deep, bellowing laugh. "A she warrior? She-cats do not fight, they are far too dainty, and deserve to be served. You have had a long night, Ravenwood, why don't you call it a night? Tomorrow you will be rested, and the fog will clear from your mind."

The black cat shot a last glance at the golden-brown feline, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. He knew very well that she-cats were capable of fighting, though he not dare say a word to any tom in WildClan. They were set on their traditions for so long- she-cats never worked. But he had an inkling, something about this prophecy, this warning, really... a she-cat could very well be the source of it.

The large pawed tom watched as the small medicine cat pad to his den, wary after helping with the birth. He flicked his tail, amusement still rippling through his corse golden-brown fur. "A she warrior? Ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous!"

The sweet silence of the night air was interrupted by the leader's hearty chuckles, by the incredulous thought that she-cats could do anything but sit and look pretty. If he knew how wrong he was then... this tale could have turned out much differently.

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 **Well there you have it- the mysterious prologue. This is a smol teaser, if you liked it please leave a review, it gives me motivation!**

 **QOTD - Which character was your favorite so far? Why?**

 **The next chapter we'll meet our main character, are you excited? I am! I'll also be posting the alligiances and the Clan code, so I hope you look forward to that too! See you next time, and don't forget to review!**


	2. Look at All the Fox I Give

**Welcome to chapter one! I'm so glad you guys liked the prologue, and I'm excited to see your opinions on this one! review for me, will ya?**

 **Azureflower - Unfortunatly I already have the kit names :0 Butttttt there will be more kits later on that I will be accepted names for, so keep an eye out for that. ;) I'm so glad you enjoyed the story!**

 **Mintleaf1029 - It's not necessarily girls OVER boys, it's just she-cats are just more treasured than toms are. Thanks for the review!**

 **FeatherShining - I already have a warrior name in mind, but later when other apprentices are about to be warriors feel free to submit ideas! I'm glad you liked the story, Robin is gonna do much more than show Lionstar who's boss *chuckles evilly***

 **\- You are right! Lionstar is a main side character,if that makes any sense. Thanks for reviewing!**

 **Expeon2.0 - Thanks, and here's the next chapter! I hope you like it!**

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A violent yowl cut through the busy camp, and within heartbeats the noble leader of WildClan was launching herself into the throng of tussling cats. "Slimy rogues are attacking! Shadestorm, take the left side, Freckleclaw, battle the right! I will take on the leader myself!" Dark green eyes narrowed, and the fierce warrior was nothing but a russet blur as she fought the terrifying rogue commander.. the tree stump by the apprentice's den.

"Robinkit!" Formally known as Shadestorm, Robinkit's brother raced to her side. "You aren't supposed to fight! You'll get hurt!" Shadekit's eyes shone with anxiety, their green hue mirroring hers. Robinkit felt guilt pricking her pelt, like a burr that just wouldn't leave. The small ginger tom brushed her off with his tail, trying to get the dust off of her sleek russet pelt.

Shrugging her shoulders, Robinkit glanced around, her green eyes alight with mischief. Domes lined the camp, which was really just a large dip in the moorland. The domes served as dens, each rank having their own den to sleep in with the exception of the deputy, who slept in the warrior's den. The camp was hard packed with pale brown dirt, and the sky was wide open to any cat who liked to look at it.

"Yeah," Her sister's snooty voice snapped her back to reality, and Robinkit turned to see Frecklekit washing her ears with a paw. "She-cats don't work, we're too dainty and besides, I wouldn't want to either. Best leave it to someone else, hm? It'll still get done, and we don't even have to lift a paw. How nice is that, hun?"

Robinkit flattened her ears, annoyed. Frecklekit was way too self absorbed, always trying to figure out how _she_ could put in the _least_ amount of effort without looking lazy. She was always fooling everyone with her 'huns' and 'dears', but Robinkit knew the truth, it was as a plain as day. Frecklekit was a brat. Robinkit was the only one who realized that... everyone else seemed to love her.

"Sorry," She murmured, addressing her brother only. The dark russet she-kit shifted her paws sheepishly. "I just want to be useful to the Clan.. you know, fight and stuff."

"As if!" Frecklekit butted in, pausing in her grooming. She climbed to her paws and began to pad towards her littermates, her leaf green eyes flickering with slight annoyance. Robinkit didn't know why she bothered to groom- her smooth gray pelt was always sleek and shiny, the white flecks splattered along her body clear against the soft kit fur. "She-cats don't work! How many times do I have to tell you, Robinkit? You use _others_ to do your chores."

The dark ginger she-cat cocked her head, her wide green eyes narrowed in thought. "But that's so unfair! Toms shouldn't have to do everything! We're just as capable as they are!" She protested, lashing her tail.

"No you're not. Do _not_ let Ravenwood put these thoughts into your mind, toms are stronger than she-cats, therefore they should be the ones who do the heavy lifting," A new voice interrupted, and the little cat turned to see a huge pale gray tom descending on the arguing kits, his pale green eyes narrowed. Then he saw Robinkit's disappointment, and his steely gaze softened. "But she-cats," he said He mewed, playfulness creeping into his voice, "She-cats are the ones who tell the toms what to do."

Robinkit rose to her hind paws and wobbled, placing her paws on the tom's muzzle for balance. "Really Smokewisp?" Her green eyes were bright, and her tail waved back and forth happily. "We're special?"

Smokewisp purred and shook his head, gently pushing the she-kit to the ground. "Of course, all she-cats are. But let me tell you something," The pale gray tom glanced around like he was making sure they were alone, then leaned in to whisper in her ear. "You're even more special, because you're my kit."

The she-kit purred in repose and flicked her tail, scampering off to Frecklekit, who had wandered back to the nursery and was once _again_ grooming herself. Was cleanliness all she cared about? Suddenly Robinkit's paws shot out from under her and she tripped on a silver _thing_ , her muzzle painfully colliding with the hard ground.

"Whoops!" A smooth voice mewed, picking up her by the scruff and dusting her off with his tail. "Sorry about that, Robinkit, I'll look where I'm putting my tail from now on." Blue-silver eyes blinked at her warmly.

The russet kit studied Birchpaw, who was only a little bigger than her. He had just been apprentice a moon ago, when he had stumbled into camp muttering something about escaping rogues. Robinkit secretly suspected he had actually gotten lost, and wandered into the WildClan camp by mistake. Nonetheless, she was glad he was here. His pale gray pelt shone in the leaf-fall sun, his lighter silver tabby markings masked by the sunlight.

"S'alright," Robinkit murmured, flicking her tail. "I'm not hurt. Though you might want to watch where you're putting your tail, one day when Snowdapple trips over it she'll have a fit," The she-kit joked, purring.

Birchpaw chuckled, his whiskers twitching with amusement. "I'll be sure to do that, Feathers. I'm glad you're not hurt," He waved his tail goodbye as she continued her journey to the nursery to see her sister. Warmth pulsed through her pelt as she raced away, Birchpaw sure was fun to talk to!

While Frecklekit was selfish and bratty, she was fun to talk to when she wasn't always interrupting. "Frecklekit, Birchpaw's so cool! He gave me a nickname and everything!" Robinkit boasted, puffing out her chest like the bird she was named for.

"That's nice, dear," Frecklekit mewed lazily, studying her thorn sharp claws. "I wouldn't get too involved though, hun. Birchpaw's strange- I heard he got his silver eyes from staring at the moon too much,"

The russet she-kit rolled her eyes, annoyance sparking in her green gaze. Her sister was such an airhead! "That's ridiculous!" She snapped. "He was born with them," Under her breath, she added. "Mouse-brain." While her littermate was a nuisance, Robinkit didn't have anything else to do, so she asked her to play.

"No," Frecklekit replied, wrinkling her nose in distaste. "A she-cat never stresses herself in any way, that is what toms are for," She mewed, quoting their mother. This just further proved her point. What kind of kit didn't want to play? "Besides, we're almost apprentices, we should start acting like it."

"Fine," Robinkit flicked her tail and glanced away, bored. She decided to groom herself, after all rolling around in the dust and dirt made a cat quite filthy. Closing her eyes, the little cat licked a paw to clean behind her ears, and while doing so she wondered why she-cats didn't have to do anything. It was stupid, WildClan could literally double their warriors if they trained she-cats.

She opened one eye and glanced around, blinking away the bright spots that danced before her vision. The sun shone far above, slowly sinking towards the horizon, turning the sky a pleasing mixture of pink, orange, and blue. Sitting next to the nursery, which was located slightly farther up the dip in the moor, Robinkit had a clear view of the territory.

Wide moorland stretched far out, the Twolegplace distant but beautiful, its lights twinkling dangerously in the darkening sky. WildClan bordered no other groups, neither rogue nor Clan, so the territory outside the borders was truly wild, barren and untamed. If she were to turn around, Robinkit would have seen a small forest area of their territory, but for now she was content just looking at the moor.

"All cats old enough to chase a rabbit gather here underneath Lookout Tree!"

Suddenly a booming voice echoed around Robinkit, snapping her out of her awe. She flicked her ears in surprise, whipping her head around to see their mighty leader, Lionstar yowling to the heavens. The small white flecked ginger cat flicked her tail and padded towards the Lookout Tree, where Lionstar was sitting on a low tree branch. WildClan's fierce deputy, Clawslash, stood on a large root, eyes narrowed.

"As the leaves fall and the flowers bloom, the generations of this Clan moves on. There are three young cats in this Clan ready to become apprentices," The Clan let out yowls of appreciation, and Lionstar continued with his speech. "Will Shadekit, Frecklekit, and Robinkit come forward?"

The three soon-to-be-apprentices exchanged a glance, their matching green eyes shimmering with pride. Robinkit glanced back at her father, excitement warming her cheeks when she saw Smokewisp give a nod of approval. Of course her mother was nowhere to be found; she was in the nursery, tending to the kits.

As the dark russet she-cat stepped up she briefly wondered who her mentor would be, it suddenly occurred to her that she hadn't put much thought into it. She could only hope Lionstar would choose the best choice possible for her. _Owlcry...? No, he's too loud and inexperienced. Rippleleaf...? No, he already has an apprentice. Then who?_

"Shadekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Shadepaw. Your mentor will be Tigerpounce. I know Tigerpounce will pass on all his warrior skills to you, and will train you to the best of his abilities," Lionstar paused for breath, his green eyes fierce and all knowing. "Tigerpounce, you have shown yourself to be strong and loyal, and you are ready to take on an apprentice. You will be the mentor of Shadepaw, and I expect you to carry this honor with dignity and pride."

Shadekit, no, Shade _paw_ touched noses with his new mentor, and Robinkit could see the dark tabby tom whisper something to the young tom, who eagerly nodded. The little kit puffed up her chest, hoping she would get such a powerful mentor.

Lionstar cleared his throat, and all of the gathered cats shifted their gazes back on the large pawed leader. "Frecklekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your queen name, you will be known as Frecklepaw. Your mentor will be Clawslash. I hope Clawslash will keep you protected from harm until you are eligible to be a queen. Clawslash, you are worthy of protecting a she-cat. You have shown yourself to be fierce and fast, especially when protecting the queens from harm. You will be the mentor of Frecklepaw, and I expect you to keep her safe from harm."

 _The deputy! Frecklepaw is so lucky... and spoiled._ She couldn't help but grumble. But then she saw the happiness in Frecklepaw's eyes when she touched noses with the Clan deputy, and Robinkit's jealousy evaporated. What was the point of being jealous, anyway? It was not like Lionstar would magically change his mind or anything.

"Robinkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your queen name, you will be known as Robinpaw. Your mentor will be Mudstreak. I hope Mudstreak will keep you protected from harm until you are eligible to be a queen," Lionstar's eyes showed no emotion as he spout at the words, and Robinpaw couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment. "Mudstreak, you are worthy of protecting a she-cat. You have shown yourself to be clever and a formidable enemy, especially when protecting the queens from harm. You will be the mentor of Robinpaw, and I expect you to keep her safe from harm."

Robinpaw touched noses with Mudstreak, who gave her a nod of approval. While the she-cat returned the nod, she was not paying attention in the slightest. Her mind was racing a mile a minute. _That's it? I'm not going to hunt or fight, just be 'protected'? How stupid!_ Suddenly being an apprentice didn't seem so great.

"Shadepaw! Frecklepaw! Robinpaw!" Cheers echoed around camp, but Robinpaw felt empty. If she didn't get to hunt or fight... what was the point of the ceremony? To fill the time until she was eligible to have kits? For her to talk with other toms and choose her mate? This was dumb.

Fumed, Robinpaw turned and padded out of camp. No tom dared to stop her, not even her mentor. They weren't allowed to. And with all the queens pent up in the nursery, Robinpaw could truly be alone with her thoughts.

She couldn't fight, she couldn't hunt, and she couldn't work. What was the point then? This was supposed to be a happy day, yet all she felt was misery. That is, until the snarl erupted from behind her. Then her misery trickled into icy cold fear...

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 **Mmm... Spicy cliffhanger. I hope you guys liked this chapter, and don't forget to review! They keep me motivated *stares at review count***

 **QOTD - Least favorite character?**

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 **And here's the allegiances as promised~**

 _Leader_

Lionstar ~ Proud brown-ginger tom with large paws and green eyes

 _Deputy_

Clawslash ~ Pale brown tom with a white tail tip and amber eyes

 _Medicine Cat_

Ravenwood ~ Delicate black tom with white tail tip, paws and blue eyes

 _Medicine Cat Apprentice_

Bearpaw ~ Clumsy dark brown tabby tom with lighter brown stripes and green eyes

 _Warriors_

Owlcry ~ Spiky furred brown tom with gold flecked amber eyes

Smokewisp ~ Huge pale gray tom with lighter gray speckles and fierce green eyes (Father of Robinpaw, Frecklepaw, and Shadepaw)

Tigerpounce ~ Dark brown tabby tom with a white underbelly and green eyes (Father of Juniperkit and Frostkit)

Rippleleaf ~ Blue-gray tom with three white paws and blue eyes

Mudstreak ~ Powerful brown tom with amber eyes and a long tail (Father of Greenpaw and Shrewpaw)

Snakescale ~ Lithe dark ginger tom with calculating amber eyes

 _Apprentices_

Greenpaw ~ Pale brown she-cat with white flecks and leaf green eyes

Shrewpaw ~ Dark brown tom with white paws and green eyes

Birchpaw ~ White tom with black stripes and strange, silver eyes, resembling a birch tree

Robinpaw ~ Dark russet she-cat with a white mark on chest, spots under eyes, and fierce leaf-green eyes

Frecklepaw ~ Easy-going pale gray she-cat with white flecks and green eyes

Shadepaw ~ Dark russet tom with a white stripe on back and bright green eyes

 _Queens_

Honeysky ~ Honey colored she-cat with white flecks and pretty amber eyes

Acornleaf ~ Red-brown she-cat with green eyes and pale ginger flecks (Mother of Robinpaw, Shadepaw, and Frecklepaw)

Sunflower ~ Small pale ginger she-cat with thick fur and green eyes

Cloudshadow ~ Pale gray she-cat with white patches and green eyes (Mother of Greenpaw and Shrewpaw)

Snowdapple ~ Beautiful snow-white she-cat with one black ear and sky-blue eyes (Mother of Juniperkit and Frostkit)

 _Kits_

Juniperkit ~ Energetic dark brown tabby she-kit with white paws and amber eyes

Frostkit ~ White tom with pale gray streaks and amber eyes

 _Elders_

Mintstem ~ Pale gray tom with green eyes

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 **Also the Clan code because I feel like it.**

Any toms must do anything a she-cat says, unless it is endangering to them

Elders, she-cats, and kits must be fed before apprentices and warriors. Leaders and deputies eat last.

Prey is killed only to be eaten. Give thanks to StarClan for its life.

Newly appointed male warriors must keep a silent vigil after receiving his warrior name.

She-cats must not stress themselves in any way, any male watcher who do not help them will be punished.

The deputy will become Clan leader when the leader dies, retires, or is exiled.

After the death or retirement of the deputy, the new deputy must be chosen before moonhigh.

Boundaries must be checked and marked daily. Challenge all trespassing males, help any she-cats.

The word of the Clan leader is the code.

No warrior can neglect a kit in pain or danger, even if the kit is an outsider.

She-cats are made warriors when they are eligible to have kits

An honorable warrior does not need to kill other cats to win his battles, unless they are a male outside the warrior code or if it is necessary for self-defense.

No male can refuse a she-cat's request to be her mate.

A warrior scorns the soft life of a kittypet.

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 **Alright! That about wraps it up, I hope you enjoyed and if you did, drop a review!**


	3. Knock Knock

**Hey! I'm so sorry for the late update, hopefully this chapter makes up for it! School has just been a real monster with finals and all, but with those out of the way, I'll be able to update more often! Yay! Anyway, thanks to all you nerds (jk I love you all) who are still interested! :'))**

 **Dark hart (Guest) -** Thanks for reviewing! Your story sounds wonderful, I would check it out but I don't have Wattpad! (rip) Good luck with writing, and feel free to PM me if you need any help, I'm always open. :D

 **FalconwingTheWarrior -** Ahh thank you! I'm so glad you enjoy my story and have taken an interest in it. It's gonna get a lot better, I swear, and we'll see how much you like it then lol.

 **Kittenperson (Guest) -** There ya go! I hope you like it!

 **Prism (Guest) -** You have no idea how much more annoying he's gonna get, so you might wanna switch that tree out for a rock. He's vital to the story though, or else I would kill him off :

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The threatening growl made the small she-cat shiver as she slowly turned around, bright green eyes locked on bigger, darker ones. The fox snarled, its muzzle dripping with saliva. The awful stench filled her sensitive scent glands, making her want to retch and back away. But Robinpaw held her ground, staring fearfully into the muzzle of the beast. The she-cat snapped her mouth shut so that she could limit the waves of odor coming off of the fox's body. By the scent, she could tell that the animal was old. But that didn't matter.

Robinpaw couldn't help but notice how beautiful the animal was, majestic even. With thorn-sharp claws that could pierce a feline's body in heartbeats, deep dark eyes that she could see her shivering form in, and bright ginger fur standing on end, Robinpaw was awestruck. Foam dripped off of the fox's black lips, making it look all the more menacing. The ginger she-cat looked straight into the beast's eyes, entranced.

"I wish I could be as powerful as you, as feared," The small feline whispered, her eyes wide with awe. The two animals stood there, each studying the other with fascination.

Then suddenly the fox was moving, bright white teeth snapping at her ear. Robinpaw blinked and ducked, jolted out of her admiration. The she-cat shrunk down and pinned her ears against her head, waiting. She was going to die, she knew it. Her first day as an apprentice was over, she was never going to find a mate or hunt or have kits, it would all be over once the fox delivered the killing blow. But it never came.

A silver shape hurled itself out of the bushes and onto the fox's back, making it yip in surprise. Robinpaw could see black stripes snaking around the newcomer's fur, and when she caught a glimpse of narrowed silver eyes, the apprentice immediately knew who it was. /Birchpaw!/

Her breath caught in her throat as she realized he had come to her rescue. The ginger feline's eyes widened as the former rogue's claws dug into the soft fur of the fox, so deep and so hard that even Robinpaw winced in sympathy. She flicked her tail, anxiety flooding through her as the fox bucked Birchpaw off and growled, rapidly descending on the young tom. It raised its paw to finish the fight, and to her, silver eyes had never looked so frightened as they did now.

After seeing the raw fear in her friend's eyes, Robinpaw's paws were moving, springing into the air and soaring over the forest floor. She landed on the fox's head and clawed at its eyes, hopefully giving Birchpaw time to run back to camp. But instead of doing as she wanted, he joined her, jumping onto the animal's back and clawing at its exposed flanks. Robinpaw flicked her ears in acknowledgment and aimed at the fox's eyes, mercilessly raking at its head.

The fox whimpered, bucking both Robinpaw and Birchpaw off and racing into the bushes, leaving droplets of blood in its wake. Its ginger tail trailed in the dust, tucked beneath its legs as a sign of submission. Robinpaw was breathless, fighting like that, it- it- it was so exhilarating! Making your choice of what to do at the moment, not knowing whether or not you would make it out alive, it was an amazing feeling. She wanted to do this every day.

"We make a pretty good team, huh?" The russet she-cat twitched her whiskers, still trembling from a mixture of fear, excitement, and exhaustion.

Birchpaw glanced over, achievement lighting his gaze. "We sure do, Feathers," The tom purred. His eyebrows knit together a heartbeat later as if he was thinking hard. "You shouldn't have fought, though. You could have gotten hurt, and then what would I tell the Clan?"

Robinpaw felt frustration building in her throat, but within moments it was released. Birchpaw was right. She was not trained, and jumping on the fox's head like that was just a stroke of luck. The fox /was/ old and brittle, so she supposed that gave her an advantage. "I won't do that again, I promise."

Birchpaw blinked in relief, his silver eyes shining. "Thank you."

The small she-cat felt warmth building in her chest, Birchpaw's calm and cool exterior yet fierce fighting knowledge was something to admire Just the way he held himself, with a quiet, humble air, Robinpaw felt lucky to know him. He was so powerful, so-

 _CRACK!_

The ginger feline felt a sharp blow to her head, so fast and so painful that she barely had time to register what it was. She fell to the ground to see Birchpaw standing above her. "What.. why?" Darkness swam around her vision, and she suddenly felt very dizzy.

"Old loner trick when we didn't want someone to remember something. Sorry about this, Feathers, but it had to be done. But I promise, you'll have no memory of what just happened," Birchpaw mewed, blinking apologetically.

Then the world went black.

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 ***Sigh* Aw jeez i love cliffhangers, they're so fun to write woop woop. Ooh is Birch a traitor or just a good person stuck in a bad situation? I suppose y'all will have to find out.**

 **QOTD - Why do you think Birchpaw knocked Robinpaw out?**

 **Side note; I'm aware this chapter is short but I promise they'll get longer as the story moves on. See ya!**

 _ **\- Lion**_


	4. Wood You Please Stop?

**Wassup, mah readers? Who's ready for another chapter of I Am Queen!?**

 ***Crickets***

 **Um, well, whatever. Just take it. Anyway, I was thinking of choosing a song to represent each main character in this story, would it be cool if I made it a contest? Whoever won would have their character featured in a story of mine? Of course I wouldn't hold this contest until a few more chapters in so we can see their personalities better. If y'all like the idea, drop a review or PM me!**

 **HeatherDiamonds -** Revenge is something different for each person, y'know? Maybe that's your idea of revenge, but I assure you, Robinpaw's is much more intense. *spooky music* Thanks for reading and I'm so glad you're enjoying it!

 **Guest -** I'm planning to upload once a week, 'cause I need time to revise and edit and plan and all that good stuff. I'm happy you're liking my story, and I'm so glad you consider my fanfic to be good! It took me a long time to get at the literacy level I am today, my first fanfic (Leafpool's promise) was so cringy omg.

 **PheonixRune -** Idk if ya mean the story is sheesh bad or Birchpaw's behavior is sheesh but I'm just gonna take that as a compliment. Thanks for reviewing!

 **NotAPerson (Guest) -** Oh my goodness you have no idea what that means to me! Thank you so much! ^^

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Darkness.

Birchpaw.

Light.

Herbs.

Fox!

Robinpaw awoke with a gasp, confused as to why she was in the medicine den and not facing the fox. Her memory was hazy at best. The last thing she remembered... Birchpaw's frightened silver eyes as the fox closed in for the kill. The scent of herbs filled her mouth and she relaxed, knowing she was safe. She glanced up, her hearing turning sharper as her vision etched into focus. A headache formed behind her eyes, a splitting, pounding pain.

"There I was, crouched against a tree, fur bristling, ears flat as I faced the fox. Robinpaw was crying in the roots of a tree and in that moment, I knew, I just _knew_ that I had to protect her. I jumped on the head of the fox and clawed its eyes out, and within heartbeats, it was running away with its tail tucked between its legs. Then I ran over to Robinpaw. She had hit her head on a rock or something and passed out, so I lifted her on my shoulders and trekked home." A voice was mewing, its tone lined with passion and strength.

Robinpaw climbed to her paws, spotting Birchpaw eagerly telling the story of the fox to the rest of the Clan. Lionstar sat nearby, nodding in agreement with Birchpaw's tale. Ravenwood stood shadowed in the ferns of the medicine den, blue eyes narrowed and suspicious. Robinpaw poked her head out of the medicine den, brushing past Ravenwood with a friendly nod. She padded over to sit next to her brother, whose green eyes flared with an unreadable emotion. "Hey," She croaked, her throat surprisingly dry.

"Is Birchpaw's story true? How he saved you?" Shadepaw asked, not even bothering to spout a greeting.

Robinpaw thought back to the fox, Birchpaw frightened silver eyes, the sharp pain to her head. "Yeah, that's what happened."

Shadepaw's brow furrowed, and he looked like he was in a deep state of confusion. "Really? Th- th- that doesn't really seem like you," The ginger tom flicked his tail, as if uncertain of what to say. "I just mean, you're not the type to just sit back and cry. Are you sure?"

"I don't remember much, it's mostly all a blur. I _d_ _o_ remember Birchpaw fighting the fox though, so what he says must be true." Robinpaw answered, only slightly perturbed by her loss of memory.

Her brother flicked his tail thoughtfully. "Alright. I'll believe you, Robinpaw, but not Birchpaw," Shadepaw turned to pad away then obviously thought better of it. He turned back, his green eyes thoughtful. "And Robinpaw? Please don't place yourself in danger like that again, I'd hate to lose my only smart sister," The dark ginger tom chuckled, giving his sister an affectionate lick on the head before padding off to the fresh-kill pile on the other side of camp.

"Birchpaw you're so brave!" A voice gushed, and Robinpaw turned to see Frecklepaw sitting beside the young silver tom. They were next to the apprentice den, which was really a deep dip in the ground, sheltered by a barrier of heather the Clan had built.

A strange feeling lodged itself in Robinpaw's throat as she watched the two, and she tried to push it away. The ginger she-cat approached the pair, Birchpaw looking like he needed help. It seemed that Frecklepaw was making him uncomfortable. "Telling her about how I saved you, Birchpaw?" Robinpaw asked, stifling a purr.

Birchpaw's blue-silver eyes widened, and he seemed to be breathing more heavily, and he appeared to be nervous. After a moment he seemed to get his emotions under control. "What?" His voice was cool and smooth, as if he had not panicked a moment before.

"I'm joking!" Robinpaw chuckled, giving the young tom a friendly nudge. "Don't get your tail in a twist!"

"Oh."

"Anyway!" Frecklepaw interrupted, annoyance flashing in her green eyes. "Birchpaw, tell me again how you fought off the fox!" She mewed, draping her tail over his shoulders.

Birchpaw chuckled awkwardly and backed a little further away, making Frecklepaw drop her tail. "I sprang off of the tree and onto the fox's back! I clawed at its flank and it was so scared that it ran off!"

 _Wait a minute… last time Birchpaw said he landed on its head and clawed at the fox's eyes..._ Robinpaw shook her head, confused. Then she shrugged, he had probably just done both and had forgotten to mention the other. It was no big deal.

"I can't believe you had to save Robinpaw!" Frecklepaw squealed, laughing. "Wait, yes I can! I'm surprised you even chose to save her, but that just proves how good of a cat you are!" The gray she-cat purred, not taking Birchpaw's hint and cozying up to him again.

Robinpaw ground her teeth, debating whether or not to claw Frecklepaw's annoying smile off her face right then and there. _Woah!_ She thought, stunned for a heartbeat. _Where did that violence come from? She-cats aren't supposed to want to hurt others!_ The slender she-cat shook her head, trying to snap back to normal. She was worrying herself, why all of a sudden did she want to fight? Surely the battle with the fox would have scared her straight, least of all persuade her not to fight.

"Birchpaw! Would you like to go on a walk with me? You can protect me from any bad things!" Frecklepaw exclaimed, slicing through Robinpaw's thoughts. The new apprentice made her eyes huge and kit like, as if that would help persuade the young tom to go with her.

The silver tom's eyes flashed with panic for a moment, and he stepped away from the pushy gray she-cat, towards Robinpaw. "Sorry, but I promised Robinpaw I would go on a walk with her. First time out of the medicine den in three days, you know the works."

A total lie.

Birchpaw had told Robinpaw no such thing, but the russet feline decided to play along. "Yeah-"

"No."

"Excuse me?" Birchpaw looked baffled.

Frecklepaw's eyes sparked dangerously for a moment as she spoke her next words. "I said no. You cannot refuse a request from a she-cat, and if I go into the forest by myself, who would be to blame if anything happened to me? Come with me."

The hackles on Birchpaw's silver paws raised, the only indication that he was miffed. "I'm a former rogue and seem to know the code better than you do. A male cannot refuse a _mate_ request from a she-cat, and I would accept your offer of a walk - it sounds lovely - but I have a previous engagement," The silver tom started to pad away, then turned to the russet she-cat behind him, his metallic eyes lit with annoyance. "Robinpaw?"

"Coming," She answered, shooting her sister a quick look, feigning regret. In all honesty, Frecklepaw didn't really deserve to be apologized to, but that didn't matter, she was still a cat after all.

Robinpaw flicked her tail at Birchpaw, telling him to wait. The ginger feline padded over to the medicine den, poking her head in. "Ravenwood!" She yowled, making the dark pelted medicine cat wander over, blue eyes questioning. "Birchpaw and I are going for a walk. Is that okay?"

Ravenwood flicked his tail, his azure eyes flickering. "Of course. I believe that you are ready to go out, as long as you do not get attacked by any more foxes." He mewed, whiskers trembling with slight amusement.

The russet she-cat shrugged, returning back to Birchpaw. "Ready!" She called, flicking her ears.

"Great!" Birchpaw mewed, his tail twitching. "I was thinking we could head out to the southern border? The sun is setting and I would love to show you something." The silver tom purred, his whiskers quivering with excitement.

Robinpaw's heart beat faster as she realized Birchpaw was going out of his way to do something for her. Not many cats went to the southern border, it was a huge gaping cliff with a rushing river below. Past the river was a vast forest, so usually mentors took their apprentices to the southern border to test their eyesight, but most of the time cats stayed away. It was dangerous, if you fell that was it, there was absolutely no chance of survival.

"Race you, Feathers!" Birchpaw yowled, kicking up dust as he pelted away.

Robinpaw narrowed her eyes and flexed her claws. "Oh-ho-ho! It's on!" She unsheathed her claws and ran, digging her paws into the ground so she could achieve more speed. Soon she was racing along right next to Birchpaw, rapidly pulling herself ahead.

Caught up in the excitement of the race, Robinpaw didn't notice the drop until she was almost on top of it. Her green eyes widened as she skidded to a stop, whiskers away from falling. Then suddenly Birchpaw was beside her, gently pulling her russet feline let out a short breath, relieved that she was with the young silver tom. If any apprentice could protect her out here, save for Shadepaw, it was Birchpaw.

 _I don't need protecting!_ A part of her exclaimed, fumed. _Especially not from a tom!_

 _Yeah, right. I'm a she-cat, of course we need to be protected!_ The logical part of her insisted.

 _She-cats can take of themselves, especially Robinpaw. She is strong._ Another voice, an _unfamiliar_ voice purred, her mew as smooth as honey.

Robinpaw jumped, the strange sound once again vibrating through her skull. That voice… it definitely wasn't hers. But then, who's was it? The ginger apprentice shook out her fur, trying to clear her head. It was probably just after effects from hitting her head, that's all.

"Feathers, look," Birchpaw whispered, pointing his tail to across the forest. They had arrived at the Cliff, and what Robinpaw saw took her breath away. This- this is obviously what Birchpaw brought her up to see.

"It's beautiful," She breathed, her green eyes golden from the light of the setting sun. Warm colors leaked into the sky, and the grand expanse was just a mesmerizing swirl of gold, orange, pink, and red. The sun cast a pleasant glow over the leaf-fall forest, and a cool breeze ruffled her fur. Above the sunset, the sky was a deep blue, studded with a thousand stars. "Wow…"

Birchpaw gave a small chuckle, and when Robinpaw looked over, his eyes were more beautiful than any of the stars in the sky. But they were also very sad. "When I was on the streets as a kit, my mother used to take me on top of the tallest building in the city to watch the sunset. The one day we were attacked, by what, I'm still not sure. My mother told me to run and the next thing I knew I was scooped up by a WildClan patrol," His eyes were still fixed on the sky, and he slowly closed them, breathing in. "I will forever be thankful to this Clan."

Robinpaw leaned next to Birchpaw, so close that she could hear his heartbeat. "I'm thankful too," She whispered, gazing down on the forest. "I'm thankful that you're here. And that you saved me from that fox," She added, blinking in gratitude.

Suddenly Birchpaw turned rigid. "Yeah well, we should probably get going," He mewed, breaking away from Robinpaw and padding a short distance away. "Your father will kill me if we're out any longer," The young tom looked as if he forced a chuckle and he started to pad away, his tail flicking nervously.

"O- okay," Robinpaw answered, beginning on the trek back to camp. She wondered if she had done something wrong but as she played the conversation back over in her head, she had no idea what could have made him upset. Shrugging, Robinpaw decided to chalk it up to tiredness. He was right though, Smokewisp really _would_ be upset if she were out here much longer. Yawning, the ginger she-cat kept her eyes on the smooth moorland ground as she walked home, not quite so eager to separate from Birchpaw just yet.

* * *

 **Welp, that's that. Ya got any ships yet? Ships that you hate? It's sad, I didn't end with a cliffhanger this time. But that mysterious voice in Robinpaw's head has got to get you thinking, right?**

 **QOTD - What are y'alls opinions on Frecklepaw?**

 **That's all for today, I hope you guys enjoyed. Don't forget to review!**

 _ **\- Lion**_


	5. Water You Doing

**Sorry for the wait, m'dudes. I've been so busy, my friend visited me from another country and family came over, I kinda forgot about this fanfic whoops. But I'm back now, and hopefully I'll be able to get on a regular schedule soon.**

 **HeatherDiamonds - I don't like Frecklepaw either whoops :") RobinpawxRobinpaw is the best ship, girls gotta be independent.**

 **Wowlol5 - Frecklepaw is the worst smh.**

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Robinpaw sighed dreamily, her heart fluttering. It had been a moon since Birchpaw had taken her on a walk, and the day before he had taken her on yet another.

And so she sat, sitting beside her brother who was munching on a mouse. She would've eaten, but she was far too jittery. "That was.. That was wow…" Robinpaw mewed.

"Mhm." Shadepaw replied, gnawing on a bone. "You must of had fun." The ginger tom mewed dryly, rolling his eyes.

"Ah, it was! You should of seen us, Shade. He took me to the Cliff, and he told me I was the most beautiful cat in all the land!" She sighed dreamily, her viridescent eyes glazed with happiness, oblivious to her littermate's sarcasm.

Her brother's green eyes flared, and he looked like he was holding back a threatening hiss. "Enough about Birchpaw!" Shadepaw exploded, hackles lifting. "Can't you see that that mousebrained tom is using you?" The ginger tom sneered. His eyes looked dark and threatening, especially in the light of the setting sun.

Robinpaw looked startled, her eyes wide and innocent. "Wh- what?" Her tail lashed and her fur bristled slightly.

"Let me spell it out for you," Shadepaw growled. "Birchpaw is using you! He didn't save you, you're perfectly capable of defending yourself or even climbing up a tree. He's just taking all the glory of the fox attack for himself!" The ginger tom hissed, narrowing his eyes. "Birchpaw is nothing but a cowardly rogue!"

Cats were beginning to stare, but at that moment, that was the least of Robinpaw's concerns. "That is not true!" She yowled, letting a snarl escape from her clenched lips. "He's-"

"Oh yeah?" Shadepaw challenged, crouching in an attacking position. "Look over there at your so called 'hero!'"

Her brother's eyes flicked over to the apprentice's den, where Birchpaw was speaking with Frecklepaw. "Freckles, you're easily more beautiful than any she-cat in WildClan." He mewed smoothly, silver eyes glittering.

"No.." Robinpaw whispered, the her eyes looking like specks of splintered wood. Broken. "He told me _I_ was the most beautiful. That _I_ was special."

"As if," Shadepaw snorted, his ginger fur standing on end. "That tom will do anything to make himself look good," He hissed. "Birchpaw's no hero- he's a joke."

Robinpaw dipped her head, torn by what she heard. Shadepaw- Shadepaw was wrong.

"Birchpaw, you're now my mate, kay?" Frecklepaw mewed, rubbing her dull gray fur against Birchpaw's shimmering silver coat. The light of the sun made his fur look even brighter, and Frecklepaw's a dull cinder.

"Of- of course, Frecklepaw." Birchpaw's blue silver eyes widened, as if he were regretting his former actions.

A tight ball of- of- _feelings_ tugged in Robinopaw's stomach, and tears formed in her wide green eyes. "No!" She cried, rushing out of camp, water streaming down her russet cheeks.

She ran and she ran, not caring that she didn't have a tom supervisor. Last time she went out alone, she ended up facing a fox, but that didn't matter to her. Soon she came upon a small section of WildClan's territory, the only one that had trees growing, as the rest was moorland. A rushing waterfall poured into a small pool, which carved a river into the forest beyond.

Robinpaw knew she was near the northern border and upon further inspection, she realized there was actually a small cave behind the waterfall. Wanting to be alone, she quickly padded inside. Bottling up her tears, she ventured deep inside the cave, where strange moss glowed.

It was a pleasant place, with the bright moss lining the floor providing a source of light and bedding. The cavern wasn't too large, but it was about the size of the warrior's den, with a very tall ceiling and neat nooks perfect for climbing. It wasn't cold like the chilly early leaf-bare weather outdoors, but it certainly wasn't warm.

Robinpaw crept over to one of the moss bundles and curled into a tight little ball, tears streaming down her young face. She could have stopped Frecklepaw, smacked that cocky grin right off her smug little face. But she didn't.

"I could have made him mine!" She yowled, affection for Birchpaw washing over her. She only realized how deep her feelings were when he was no longer available. "Why did that _monstrosity_ do this to me?" She snarled, bitterness wrapping its cruel talons around her heart. "I hate Frecklepaw!"

Then reality hit her in the face. She never told her sister she liked Birchpaw, so how could she have known? If it were anyone's fault, it was Robinpaw's. _She_ had been so naive as to think Birchpaw would be waiting for her. _She_ was the one who had told Frecklepaw how amazing he was. It was her fault.

"Now, now, sweet. There is no need to cry," A voice purred soothingly, and suddenly Robinpaw felt a paw stroke her head. Something about that voice.. it seemed familiar.

"Wh- what?" The slender she-cat stuttered, green eyes glancing up to see another feline. Tears blurred her vision, and Robinpaw quickly wiped them away. "Who- who are you?"

"I am many things, but for now you can know me as Waveshine," A slim silver she-cat mewed. She had light white splotches running down her spine, and her face was full of white freckles. The she-cat was very small, only a few mouse lengths larger than Robinpaw.

Robinpaw looked up, her wide green eyes watery. "How did you find me? Why did you find me?" She whispered, mind wandering. She was finding it hard to focus on the older cat.

Waveshine purred softly, her pretty blue eyes the color of the sky. "I came because you needed me," She answered simply, dipping her head.

"What do you mean- oh." Then Robinpaw realized why she was having trouble concentrating. She could see the cave stone behind her. It was like Waveshine was nothing but an illusion. "You're dead."

Waveshine chuckled, but her eyes lacked humor. "Yes, my sweet. I am. But I have returned from the Dark Forest to aid you."

Robinpaw shook her head, nervous. "The D-dark Forest? But i thought only evil cats came from there.."

"Oh no, you've misunderstood. The cats who have been wronged in their life go to the Dark Forest. Is it their fault they seek revenge from the cats who killed them? And then went to StarClan because of it?"

Just for a heartbeat, the pretty she-cat's voice hardened with bitterness. But then it was back to normal, and Robinpaw was sure she imagined it. "I suppose you're correct. But still, I'm not sure about… everything else," She murmured, her tail flicking with unease.

"Darling, don't you want to fight?"

"I guess, but-"

"Don't you want to be better than Frecklepaw?"

"Of course! Though I don't think-"

"Don't you want _Birchpaw_?"

Robinpaw thought of Birchpaw, his blue silver eyes, the way his fur fluffed up when he was offended, his captivating laugh. "Yes."

"I can help you," Waveshine murmured, circling around Robinpaw like a mother to her kits. "I can train you. Teach you to be _powerful_."

"How do you know all this stuff?" Robinpaw mewed, her mouth opened in awe.

"When I was alive, WildClan was a much different place. She-cats fought and hunted, and perhaps they were even more powerful than toms. I rose to leadership, but the toms of the Clan were outraged. They killed me, and told everyone else I went mad." Waveshine let out a low growl, her clear blue eyes enraged for a moment. Then her caring smile returned.

"Okay. I want to do it, Waveshine. I want to train with you. I want.. I want Birchpaw," Robinpaw mewed, her green eyes narrowing in determination.

"He will come to you," Waveshine promised, an unreadable emotion flashing in her eyes. "Meet me here tomorrow at moonhigh, love."

And with those departing words, Waveshine was gone. Not even her scent remained in the cave behind the waterfall. Robinpaw blinked in surprise, then recovering her senses and trudging back to camp.

"Robinpaw!" Birchpaw ran up to her as soon as she stepped paw into camp, his silver-blue eyes flashing in annoyance. "Where were you? You ran out of camp in such a huff, and now everybody is blaming me. It's moonhigh, you should have been back by now!"

"Know your place, _tom_ ," She snapped, then her eyes widened with remorse. "I'm so sorry Birchpaw! I didn't mean to bark at you,"

Birchpaw frowned in confusion, then shook his head. "Everybody has been looking for you! Be more responsible next time," He mewed, his eyes softening.

"BIRCHPAW!" A shrill voice yowled, threatening to split everyone's ear drums.

"Frecklepaw," Robinpaw grumbled, rolling her eyes.

"Do NOT speak or look at other she-cats, how many time do I have to tell you?" Frecklepaw dragged him close, curling her tail around his shoulders. "You're _mine_." She mewed, flouncing away.

"Of course, Frecklepaw," Birchpaw muttered, following behind her and dragging his beautiful silver tail in the dust. "See ya, Feathers."

Then suddenly Robinpaw was on the ground, her eyes and ears filled with ginger fur. "Are you okay?" The concerned feline mewed.

"Yes, Shadepaw. Now get off me!" She yowled, fighting back a chuckle.

"Okay, okay. Sorry," He answered, blushing in embarrassment. "I've just been so worried. I thought you promised you wouldn't do that again!"

"I-" Robinpaw started, her whiskers twitching in amusement.

"Robinpaw. I am so glad you are safe. Do not ever leave camp for that long again, or I will be forced to take action," A huge golden tom mewed, flicking his tail.

"Of course, Lionstar. It will not happen again," Robinpaw rushed, blinking apologetically.

"I expect as much," Lionstar nodded, padding back to his den. His tail swished as he walked, the fluffed tip brushing the dust ever so slightly.

Robinpaw's parents were sharing a rabbit near the warrior's den, and they glanced at her before returning to their meal. Smokewisp flicked his tail, signaling that everything was fine.

"Where did you even go?" Shadepaw questioned, moving back into Robinpaw's line of view. His eyes were wide with curiosity, and she could tell he was honestly worried on her behalf. The thought warmed her heart.

"I went to the northern border," She answered truthfully, her tail flicking nervously.

"What did you do there that kept you out so long?" Shadepaw narrowed his eyes, looking as though he were in deep thought.

Robinpaw thought for a moment, of Waveshine and her promises of glory, of the hidden cave behind the waterfall. She twitched her whiskers, a smirk creeping its way into her pleasant features. "Just doing some thinking."

* * *

 **Dun dun dunnn! Thoughts about Waveshine? I'm making a backstory for her, oof she's probably one of my favorite characters she's just so layered- like an _onion._ I hope you guys liked this chapter! Don't forget to review!**

 **QOTD - How do you think Waveshine's influence will affect Robinpaw?**

 _ **\- Lion**_


	6. Someone Goes to the Purrgatory

**Hey... So I know it's been a while. I kind of fell out of the Warriors fandom for a while, but I recently picked up the books again and started reading. I decided to start the story again because why the hell not. Anyway, I'm back, and hopefully I'll be able to get a posting schedule soon. I know y'all probably don't remember what you wrote for your reviews so I'm not gonna answer them this time, sorry.**

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Robinpaw tossed and turned in her nest, increasingly uncomfortable. She could have sworn that she had just changed out her moss the other day but _no,_ there just _had_ to be thorns everywhere. She had gotten up to readjust her position for what felt like the tenth time when a yowl rang through the camp.

"We're under attack!" A tom called, the panic in his voice palpable.

Immediately all the apprentices looked up, their eyes wide with shock. A spiky furred tom poked his head in the den, Robinpaw recognized him as Owlcry. "Everybody up! The toms are to pair up with their mentors and the she-cats are being sent to the back of the camp!"

Birchpaw's whiskers twitched, his silver eyes alert. "What are we facing?" Badgers? Foxes?"

Owlcry bared his teeth, his eyes narrowing as he spat out the word. " _Rogues."_

Birchpaw cursed and raced out the den, Shadepaw following. Shrewpaw stayed behind and glanced at the she-cats. "Come with me, I'll protect you until you get to the back.

Shrewpaw left the den, Greenpaw and Frecklepaw right behind him. Robinpaw lingered for a heartbeat, stewing. Why did toms get to have all the fun? Her claws scraped the ground as she imagined sinking them in the matted fur of a rogue. Tearing their throats out, gouging their eyes, leaving a scar, now _that_ would be fun. Robinpaw blinked, and the gory images disappeared.

Owlcry popped back into the den, motioning to Robinpaw with his tail. "You need to come with me," He mewed urgently.

"I'm going!" She snapped, lashing her tail. Robinpaw left the apprentice's den and sulked to the back of camp behind Owlcry. She kept glancing over to the fight, watching the warriors squirm as they faced the rogues.

Blood spurted out of wounds and scraps of fur were all over the red-stained ground. Yowls of anger. Cries of pain. Robinpaw's leaf green eyes were huge as she absorbed the scene before her.

Suddenly a tattered gray she-cat burst out of the swarm of hissing cats and headed straight for Robinpaw, her amber eyes glinting dangerously in the moonlight. Robinpaw sucked in a breath, excitement and adrenaline rushing through her as she realized she would have to fight.

As the she-cat pounced, Owlcry crashed into her. The tom bat at her with his claws sheathed, not willing to draw blood just yet. The rogue, on the other paw, was showing no mercy and swiping at his eyes again and again. Her claws shone in the darkness, as sharp as blackthorns.

Robinpaw watched, entranced. She could not _believe_ a she-cat was fighting. It was mesmerizing, the way she moved and lashed out. She was tearing Owlcry apart. Soon the tom realized he had no choice but to fight back and unsheath his claws.

The she-cat soon had Owlcry pinned and was about the deliver the killing blow when Snakescale appeared out of nowhere and bowled her over. Together the two toms fought her off, sending her into the forest with her hissing furiously under her breath. Owlcry stumbled and shook his head, then regained his balance and flung himself back into the fight.

Owlcry seemed to have forgotten about her, so Robinpaw plopped herself down and made herself comfortable while she watched the fight. There were only a few rogues left and none of them paid any attention to her. One by one, the warriors sent them yowling into the forest to lick their wounds.

Robinpaw let out a sigh of disappointment as she realized the fight was over. She was about to make her way back to her nest when Lionstar's powerful voice boomed over her. She froze and looked back. He was sending out a patrol to chase the rest of the rogues out of the territory.

When he finished, Lionstar strode over to Robinpaw, his fur bristling. " _Why_ weren't you with the other she-cats?" His ears were flat against his head, his lips curled in the beginning of a snarl.

Shadepaw glanced up at the sound from the other side of camp. He was crunching on a mouse, a reward given to him by his mentor for helping drive off the rogues. His ears were pricked as he listened to the conversation.

Robinpaw flicked her tail dismissively, lifting her head in defiance. "I was perfectly safe, Owlcry was protecting me." She looked around for the brown furred tom, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Lionstar narrowed his eyes. "One warrior to protect a she-cat is unacceptable."

" _Well,"_ Robinpaw sneered, shoving her muzzle into her leader's face. "Maybe she-cats wouldn't need _protecting_ if they could protect _themselves,"_ A fleck of spit landed on Lionstar's nose.

The golden-brown tom shook with rage. He looked as if was about to cuff the apprentice around the ears but he stopped, took a breath, and started to laugh. "A she-cat? Fighting?"

Robinpaw scoffed. "Fine," She turned with a flourish, lashing her tail and stalking back to the apprentice's den.

Her brother quickly kicked dirt over the remains of his mouse and followed Robinpaw into the den. "Robin…" He trailed off, seeing she was upset but not knowing how to deal with it.

"No!" Robinpaw snapped. "It's so unfair! Why is it the toms all the time?" She curled up in her nest, scowling.

Shadepaw's whiskers twitched as he decided what to say. "We want you to be safe," He mewed, choosing his words carefully. "But anyway, that's not the reason I wanted to talk to you," His sister glanced over, her eyes dark. Shadepaw took this as a sign to continue. "Why didn't you go with the other she-cats? You would have been safer, I was worried."

The she-cat had to bite her tongue to keep from scoffing. "Owlcry told me to stay hidden under the warrior's den so they wouldn't see me," She lied.

"Oh," Shadepaw thought for a moment, then nodded. "That seems fair."

Robinpaw gave a quick nod and then curled up, eager to go to sleep and forget about this night. All of a sudden, Shadepaw's nose twitched and he let out a yelp of surprise. "I smell blood."

A yowl sounded from the clearing, strong and full of grief. "Owlcry is dead!"

Shadepaw and Robinpaw emerged in the main clearing to see poor Honeysky crying over the crumpled form of Owlcry. His spiky brown fur was torn and matted with blood, his normally lively amber eyes now clouded and unseeing.

The Clan gathered around the warrior's body, their heads bowed. Shadepaw looked at his sister, his leaf green eyes huge and watery. "He gave his life to protect yours."

 _That's not what happened…_ Robinpaw flicked her tail emotionlessly. She didn't understand why everyone was so broken up about his death, and she definitely didn't understand why she was so uncomfortable with it. So she shrugged and went along with them, pressing her nose into his stiff body and trying not to gag.

She ached to go back to bed. But it would look better to the Clan if she sat vigil until dawn.

...

Robinpaw awoke in a murky forest, unable to see two feet ahead of her, The stars were hidden from view. She glanced around, concluding that she must have fallen asleep while sitting vigil. The Clan would freak out if they found out she broke the code. Robinpaw dismissed the thought, it wasn't that big of a deal.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to show up," A smooth voice purred. A silver she-cat materialized out of the trees, making Robinpaw's ears stand up.

"Waveshine!" She greeted eagerly, lifting her head. "I'm so glad you're here, I haven't seen you for almost a moon!"

Waveshine chuckled, the sound like claws scraping ice. 'You haven't been ready for me, chick. You say you want to learn but you don't show it. But tonight was different. Tonight, you realized that she-cats can do just as well as toms."

Robinpaw nodded, her eyes searching Waveshine's hungrily. She was so focused on the she-cat she didn't notice quick footsteps in the bushes. "The way that she-cat battled Owlcry in the fight? That was amazing! She had to be fought off with _two_ toms! I'm pretty sure she was the one who gave Owlcry the killing blow," She mewed darkly, excitement bubbling over. Then she remembered a great warrior was dead, and she probably shouldn't be this happy.

"But you're wrong," Waveshine murmured, looping her skinny tail around Robinpaw's shoulders. "I'm here to tell you that she-cats are _better_ than toms. We have wit, beauty, and strength on our side."

"I knew it!" Robinpaw gasped. "But how am I supposed to learn? No tom would ever teach me, they're too afraid I'll get hurt."

Before the apprentice could blink, Waveshine had flipped her onto her back. The silver she-cat pinned her down and smirked. "She-cats don't need _toms."_ She spat the word out like it was poison.

Waveshine loosened her grip and allowed Robinpaw to wriggle out of her hold. Robinpaw looked up, her eyes bright as she thought about what to say next. "Teach me to fight," She whispered.

The silver she-cat purred, twitching her whiskers. "It will be my pleasure."

...

Robinpaw blinked open her eyes as the sun's rays were peaking over the horizon. Light spilled into the clearing and she jumped as she registered that her nose was still pressed into Owlcry's fur. She bit back a gag as the smell of death surrounded her. Falling asleep while sitting vigil was always bad, but luckily it didn't seem like anyone noticed.

As the only elder padded out of his den to bring Owlcry to his grave, Robinpaw yawned. She had slept practically the whole night but strangely still felt tired. Her eyelids drooped as she passed the other apprentices and trudged to the den.

Shadepaw passed her with a purr, flicking his tail in greeting. Frecklepaw stalked past her sister with a green eyed glare, but then again, that was how she addressed pretty much everyone. The other apprentices followed both cats out of the den, leaving Robinpaw with a quiet place to sleep. She made her way to her nest when she almost tripped over Birchpaw.

"Fox-dung!" She yelped, falling on her nose.

Birchpaw sat up. "Sorry, Feathers. I didn't see ya there. Are you okay?"

Robinpaw climbed to her paws and shook, flicking a scrap of moss off of her pelt. "Yeah, it was just a scrape. Don't worry about it.

Birchpaw nodded, briefly pressing his nose to hers. "I'm glad," He headed for the exit.

"Wait!" Robinpaw called, shifting her paws nervously as he turned back. "I know you agreed to be mates with Frecklepaw and stuff, but, um, I was wondering, since you kind of flirt with me," The apprentice trailed off as she grasped for the right words. "Do you like me?"

Birchpaw looked surprised. "Robinpaw…"

 _He called me Robinpaw instead of Feathers._ Robinpaw knew she was losing him. "We can meet in secret! You can be my mate and nobody has to know. It'll be just between us."

"Robinpaw, I'm flattered but," Birchpaw looked uncomfortable. "It's against the code to do that, and I'm afraid I don't really like you that way."

"But you like _Frecklepaw?"_ Robinpaw looked offended, her tail thumping the ground as she tried to contain her temper.

Birchpaw flattened his ears and broke eye contact. "Well, no, but she asked me first and I can't exactly say no." One ear pricked up. "Look, I think I hear my mentor calling. We can talk later, okay?" He slipped out of the den without waiting for an answer.

Robinpaw curled her lip, watching him go. "Bastard," She muttered, lashing her tail. "I'll get you back, I swear to StarClan."

* * *

 **So yeet I hope you guys liked this chapter. Hm... what are your thoughts on Waveshine _now?_**

 **QOTD - How are you liking Birchpaw?**

 _ **\- evan**_


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